A few weeks ago, something supposedly uttered by Kanye West began circulating around the Internet. While talking to WGCI in Chicago, the hometown rapper was quoted as saying, “I am the next Nelson Mandela…By the time I’m 95, I’m going to be a bigger hero than he ever was.” SHOCKING, except the whole thing was fake, a hoax published by the Daily Currant. If only the same could be said of Ian Bayne’s comments about Phil Robertson.

Today, Ian Bayne [a candidate for the 11th congressional district in Illinois] called Phil Robertson, star of the A&E series Duck Dynasty, the “Rosa Parks” of our generation.

“In December 1955, Rosa Parks took a stand against an unjust societal persecution of black people, and in December 2013, Robertson took a stand against persecution of Christians,” said Bayne [in an email]…”What Parks did was courageous. What Mr. Robertson did was courageous too.”

Bayne believes that the Duck Dynasty star knew that going on GQ would result in the current controversy going on surrounding his suspension, as well as his suspension. Bayne added that this exposure of Robertson’s situation is an eye opener for many who may have been previously in disbelief that the bible is fast becoming considered “hate speech” by the media and society. (Via)

Here’s the email:

Bayne sent out the message after realizing he could score the pivotal Shock Jock DJ vote by giving them an excuse to make a Duck Dynasty-themed parody of “Rosa Parks.” “Ah ha, they don’t go cluck/Everybody move to look at the duck.” Practically writes itself. That mid-song harmonica breakdown is gonna sound great with quacks!

Yeah, I just can’t with this shit. It makes me sick people toss around her name so lightly as to bring it up in conjunction with a bunch of brain dead duck-hunting fucks. One of the true American icons of the 20th century and Congressional morons associate her legacy with this garbage? Argh.

Its not that society thinks the bible is hate speech, its that people are using it to create or promote hate speech, and as long as its being used that way, it will lose popularity among the educated and rational (small) part of society.

Back when the real Rosa Parks was challenging segregation, white society in the South pointed to several parts in the Bible — most often, the “curse of Ham” — to argue that all the defenders of segregation were doing was enforcing God’s will.

I am offended as both a black person and as a Christian, people like this don’t represent the true spirit of Christianity. And in no way, shape, or form should Phil Robertson be compared to Rosa Parks.

Sometimes I feel that the US should revise their entire budget, taking every single dollar alotted to everything and directing it all into the education system. And, by ‘sometimes’, I mean ALL THE FUCKING TIME.

So let me get this straight. Rosa Parks was a member of a minority group that was being discriminated against and she took a stand against her tormentors. Gays are still very much a minority group but slowly gaining more widespread acceptance in society but Phil Robertson, a member of the white majority, still wants us to discriminate against gays because his holy book says that behavior is wrong.

Phil Robertson isn’t Rosa Parks, he’s the asshole bus driver who kept yelling at Rosa Parks to get to the back of the bus.

Why is it every time a celebrity said something idiotic and offensive there’s always one non-celebrity just dying to glom on with their own (almost more idiotic) commentary? Like, how many extra votes did this guy think he’d get by saying this shit?

No kidding. Anyone who supports this kind of idiocy was already going to vote for him anyway. However, he likely did broaden his fundraising base from the local fucktards who know him, to the national fucktards who know only that he did something to piss of some liberals.

To all those who are casting the first stone, let me say that there are those of us out there that believe in equality look at where have come in all these years It’s always about freedom of speech Have u all forgotten about that Phil R has all the right just like the rest of all beings to voice his own opinion without a voice we would not have the way of life that we have Either except the rights of all or be like dennis rodman and head on over to No Korea and stand in front of a bulldozer and get run over like your favorite Rachel Corey whose stupid enough to do just that!!!!!

We all know he has the right to free speech just like the rest of us. And A&E has the right to fire him. What free speech means is that the government does NOT have the right to put him in jail over his speech. Americans have the right to say whatever we want, but we do not have the right to our own TV show.

Free speech is protected from government intervention, but not from other Americans calling you out on it.

OK, you’re atrocious spelling and even worse grammar makes me think this is a lost cause but maybe someone smarter than you can read it, sound out the bigger words, and explain it very slowly to you.

The right to freedom of speech prevents the GOVERNMENT from taking any action against you for the things you say, with several exceptions such as causing immediate danger, (shouting “fire” in a crowded theater), or inciting an action likely to result in immediate harm/danger to an identifiable target. Phil Robertson shouting “Let’s get that faggot!” in the presence of a gay man who was just asking for directions out of Robertson’s home hamlet for instance.

The government is not taking any action against Robertson, so is right to freedom of speech, no matter how pig-ignorant that speech happens to be, remains solid.

What Robertson does not have is the right to free speech without any consequences from PRIVATE entities, one of whom happens to he his employer. Your employer, (and I’m making a leap of faith that you have an employer), can react to your speech in any way they like, and if your speech is likely to get their sponsors boycotted, making them less likely to sponsor your horrible show and therefore making it less likely that your employer will make money off said horrible show, then your employer has got every right to fire your ass right out the front door.

Okay, I’ll bite.
For the umpteenth time, this is NOT an issue of Freedom of Speech. Read the text of the First Amendment:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The First Amendment does NOT protect you from any and all reprisals by private enterprises or other citizens. You cannot say anything you want at any time to anyone without any consequence. Congress has made no law regarding Robertson’s comments on gays or blacks, so his First Amendment rights have been upheld. A&E, however, was well within their rights to suspend him. I would go so far as to say that there was probably a clause in his contract involving conduct detrimental to the brand, so it’s likely he was in breach of contract, in which case A&E probably did the right thing (contractually speaking).
Additionally, Ian Bayne had every right to say what he did (no matter how tone deaf and stupid) without fear of retaliation from the Government. That doesn’t make what he said right.
Finally, please–for the sake of all of us who have to read your inanity–go back to school and pass that 6th grade English class. Your spelling and grammar are so appalling as to make your comment nigh unreadable.

litesn up folks becuz this here is a strong taek. i mean, its not evryday dat u see some1 saning up for the writes of white ppl. every1 knows that whit race is the mastr races and we shuld not be opresed anymor.

Phil’s freedom of speech was not violated. He has not been arrested or punished by the government. Therefore he was free to day what he wanted to and he did so. A&E is his boss, so they are allowed to make rules about what he can say or do. The company I work for is the same way. If I publicly say some bigoted homophobic shit while representing my company, they will fire me. They even tell us that. And the funny thing is, this Duck Fuckery show isn’t even cancelled. Phil isn’t fired. He’s “suspended” which means nothing because the show is still on the air and they are still filming the next season. So all of this (not at all made up) controversy has made Phil more popular, increased A&E’s ratings and sold a lot of merch for the Christmas season. So there you go. Free speech IS rewarded in this country.

The amazing part here is that when Rosa Parks defied segregation in the South, there were lots of people who cited the Bible — the “curse of Ham” etc — to claim it was a system in keeping with Gods will.

If Phil Robertson is like anyone in the Rosa Parks story, he’s on the other side.